DWM 367 – The Veiled Leopard

Four time travellers. Two missions. One costumed ball. The 5th Doctor has sent Peri and Erimem to prevent the fabulous Veiled Leopard diamond from being stolen.

Which is odd, seeing as the 7th Doctor has sent Ace and Hex to steal it.

1 Comment

Styre
on May 7, 2016 at 9:25 PM

THE VEILED LEOPARD

We’re all used to the style of the free Big Finish releases attached to Doctor Who Magazine: mostly inconsequential tales with (“Last of the Titans” excepted) lighthearted tones. Each of the four Big Finish Doctors was given one release, and three of them flew solo — and with “The Veiled Leopard,” authors Iain McLaughlin and Claire Bartlett give us the next logical step: a companions-only tale. Like its predecessors, “The Veiled Leopard” is throwaway stuff — but also like its predecessors, it’s a fun way to spend 45 minutes, and it’s impressive that material this good is being given away for free.

“The Veiled Leopard” is, first and foremost, an homage to The Pink Panther, concerning as it does an elaborate series of attempted jewel heists. The eponymous jewel is being displayed at a costume ball, but thieves are about: Peri and Erimem have been dispatched by the fifth Doctor to protect it from one thief, while Ace and Hex have been assigned by the seventh Doctor to steal it for themselves. The usual sorts of hijinks ensue, with the companions adopting different personas to gain the good graces of their hosts (or fellow thieves) and doing lots of sneaking around in dark rooms and leaping down laundry chutes. It’s mostly throwaway stuff, which is why the characterization is a particular delight: “The Veiled Leopard” isn’t supposed to be a tightly-constructed heist caper, it’s supposed to be an exploration of the companions and how they behave when separated from the Doctor. Much has been said of the “sisterly” relationship developed between Peri and Erimem, and here Nicola Bryant and Caroline Morris continue to build upon their strong chemistry. Peri seems a bit too interested in just getting drunk — but hey, she’s young — while Erimem is forced at one point to reconcile the pop-culture view of her people with her own experience. It’s an intriguing little moment in among the breezy characterization. Sophie Aldred, meanwhile, makes it very obvious that Ace loves being in charge, and the character is a lot of fun: free of her angst, she can finally use her experience to control a situation and enjoy herself in the process. Philip Olivier is also broadening his horizons as Hex — and he finally gets to relax in this play, after being put through the wringer in his first few adventures.

I’m a relatively atypical Doctor Who fan in that I don’t particularly worry about plot — indeed, contrary to the most common complaint I’ve heard about this episode, I don’t like that we’re given any background information at all. Yes, the revelation that the Leopard is actually a repository for a race’s genetic and cultural data lends meaning to the proceedings, but the explanation is rather rushed, almost as if it’s there simply to give the story a sci-fi underpinning. Better, I think, to leave the background out, and let the heist plot and, more importantly, the characters stand on their own.

The small supporting cast shines: Lizzie Hopley, who has featured in a number of recent plays, and Alan Ruscoe form a nice pairing as Lady Lillian and Peter Mathis, while Steven Wickham’s gravelly tones impress as Walker. The star of the play, though, might be David Darlington, whose score is an absolute delight — one of the best he’s ever done for Big Finish.

No, there’s not much substance here, but “The Veiled Leopard” is pure fun. An homage, a caper, a chance to get to know the characters — the descriptions go on and on, and that’s doubly impressive given that this story is a free giveaway. Seek it out, if you can — and when you’re done listening, you’ll have a magazine to read. Sounds like a plan to me.